


The five times John tried to give Rodney a nickname

by squidgie



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-01
Updated: 2010-09-01
Packaged: 2017-10-12 15:20:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/126313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squidgie/pseuds/squidgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>  This is what happens when <a href="http://elderwitty.livejournal.com/profile"><img/></a><a href="http://elderwitty.livejournal.com/"><strong>elderwitty</strong></a>  and I talk on the phone.  We get an idea and run with it.  She and I are equally to blame on this.  I was bored at work, she was home, and this is the result.  Phone beta'd done with <a href="http://elderwitty.livejournal.com/profile"><img/></a><a href="http://elderwitty.livejournal.com/"><strong>elderwitty</strong></a>  last week. YAY!</p>
    </blockquote>





	The five times John tried to give Rodney a nickname

**Author's Note:**

>   This is what happens when [](http://elderwitty.livejournal.com/profile)[**elderwitty**](http://elderwitty.livejournal.com/)  and I talk on the phone.  We get an idea and run with it.  She and I are equally to blame on this.  I was bored at work, she was home, and this is the result.  Phone beta'd done with [](http://elderwitty.livejournal.com/profile)[ **elderwitty**](http://elderwitty.livejournal.com/)  last week. YAY!

John knew Rodney would work late, given the chance, which is why he walks into Rodney's lab just before time to crawl into bed.  Though the lab is silent, except for the sound of tinkering Rodney is doing with a piece of ancient technology, John's scuttle into the area goes without notice. 

John clears his throat to get Rodney's attention, and when that doesn't work, puts a hand on Rodney's shoulder, finally startling the man back into reality.

"Ooh..." _yawn_.  "I'm sorry... I lost all track of time," Rodney confesses.

" _Again_ ," John shoots back. 

Rodney lets loose another jaw-cracking yawn.  "What time is it, anyway?" he asks as John starts guiding him out of the lab and back to their quarters.

"Past your bedtime, babe," John replies.

Rodney stops in his tracks, causing John to halt as well.  He frown at John and asks, "What the hell was _that_?"

John looks around sheepishly, momentarily avoiding Rodney's eyes.  Fidgeting, he confesses, "'S just a nickname, Rodney."

" _Nickname_?!" Rodney asks.

John scrunches his eyes and absently rubs the back of his neck.  "Well," he begins slowly, then grabs Rodney's arm to start them once again towards their quarters, "it's just that...I realized I never really gave you a nickname.  Thought I'd try it out."

Rodney recognizes the sentiment his partner is trying to convey, and reaches up to grab John's hand.  With a squeeze and a hint of a smile, he states, "Well 'babe' is _right out_."  He leans into John and steals a kiss.  "But thank you anyway," he says as the pair finds the way to their quarters.

~_~_~

 

A few days later, the couple set down their breakfast trays at a table already occupied by Teyla and Ronon.  "John.  Rodney.  How was your evening?" Teyla asks.

Rodney grunts a reply from behind his coffee cup, and John just smiles.  He pats Rodney on the back and responds, "Good, good... Just.  You know.  We kicked back outside.  Listened to the waves."  He didn't need to go further into his and Rodney's date night, but the looks their breakfast companions give tell him that Teyla and Ronon already have a fairly good idea.  Ronon stops with a forkful of food just short of his mouth, while a small smile blooms on Teyla's face.  _'We couldn't have made **that** much noise last night, could we?'_  he wonders, and rests his gaze on Rodney, who's oblivious to anything except emptying the warm, rich brew from his coffee cup. 

The sound of Rodney's newly drained mug on the table is John's cue to change the subject.  "You need some more coffee, bear?" he asks his partner while he stands up, readying to fetch Rodney a refill.

John feels three pair of eyes upon him, one of which seems to be trying to bore straight through his skull.  Rodney just looks at him flatly before uttering one word.

" _No_ ," he states emphatically, thrusting the cup in John's direction. 

John hears Teyla ask, "Why did he just call you a large, furry Earth mammal?" as he turns to get more coffee, and laughs quietly as he hears Rodney splutteringly start to explain.

~_~_~

John ponders his next choice of nickname carefully, and waits for the right moment to try it out.  It finally comes when he finds Rodney buried underneath a malfunctioning console in the Atlantis control room, visible only from the hips down.

"How you doin' down there?" John asks, rubbing the tip of his boot against Rodney's hip.

Rodney stops his work at the touch and reaches out, giving John's leg a squeeze.  "Oh, 'bout as good as expected.  You get lunch yet?"

John shakes his head, then realizes the need for a verbal response.  "Nope, not yet.  How long 'til you're done, tiger?"

He hears Rodney sigh heavily, then feels Rodney pinch his leg.  "Gimme ten minutes."  Rodney pulls himself out from under the console and stares up into John's eyes.  "Oh, and by the way?  Try again, Marlin Perkins."  And with that, he scoots back under the console to finish his work.

~_~_~

John is relaxing in their quarters, waiting on Rodney to show up.  He's gotten a few more pages into his book when the shushing of the door announces Rodney's arrival.

"Did everyone leave their brain back on Earth during the last visit?" he asks, the level of frustration evident in his voice.

John looks up at him, eyes wide.  "Bad day at the office, pumpkin?"

Rodney's eyes narrow to a slit as he runs his hands through his hair.  "Oh, dear god, not now," he begs, then falls face first into their bed.  Voice muffled by his pillow, he cries, "Now I'm a _gourd_?"

~_~_~

"There.  That should just about do it."  Rodney smiles at his partner as he finishes an adjustment to the 'jumper.  "You wanna take it for a spin?" 

A smile breaks across John's face, "Sure.  Let's go."  And with that, the pair takes the ship off Atlantis to make sure Rodney's adjustments work well with the vessel.  It's _not_ a joyride.  At all.

Midway through their trip, Rodney catches a smirk on John's face.  "Oh god.  You have another one, don't you?" he despairs, already knowing the answer.

Sheppard winks at him, then blushes.  "Maybe..." he responds, voice going singsong.

"Come on then," Rodney demands.  "Lay 'em on me."  As John turns, Rodney adds, " **All** of them, Sheppard.  Get it out of your system."

John throws a fake pout at his partner.  " _All_ of 'em?"

"Yes," Rodney demands.  "Better here than," he gestures, "on Atlantis.  In front of _everybody_."  Rodney sighs at the memory of having to explain John's 'bear' comment to Teyla, and the smirk that John gave him for the rest of that day.

"All righty then..." John takes a deep breath, then ticks off each proposed nickname as he announces it.  "Let's see...  There's angel, honey, dear, doodlebug, snookums, bunny, honey bunny-"

" _No compounds!_ "

"-sweetie, sweetheart, lover, lamb chop, dumpling, pudding, cupcake, cookie-"

"Great. Now I'm hungry."

"-boo, sugar, cuddles, sunshine, schmoopsie, stallion-"

"Still a mammal, _Marlin_!"

"-tootsie, darling, big daddy-"

"No thank you, _Miss Blanche Devereaux_."

"-hot stuff, hubby, boytoy, winkie...and buttercup."  John's voice trails off as he finishes.  "So?"

"So... What?" Rodney asks.

"So... Pick one, McKay," John asks, exasperated.

" _That_ one."

John furrows his brow.  "Which one?"

"McKay."

John laughs, then crosses to his partner.  "Fine," he confesses, pressing a kiss to the side of Rodney's mouth.  "McKay it is."

  


 


End file.
